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[SPOILER]Dead space series - story


Quantum Binman
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IF YOU DON'T WANT ANY SPOILERS, STOP READING NOW.

 

 

OK, so after finishing DS3, a lot of questions I had about the story have been ignored or left half-answered... but there is also the chance that I have missed something so I am hoping someone can fill in the blanks (especially if you have read the books, played the Wii game, and/or watched the movies)

 

1) Isaac's parents.

Dead Space 1 made a HUGE point of stating that his mother was a high-ranking Unitologist (hence his hatred of them) and his father's whereabouts were "classified" but neither have ever been mentioned since AFAIK. Were they potential plot strands that have been dropped along the way?

 

2) The Ishimura

If EarthGov knew that The Ishimura was breaking laws by planet-cracking illegally, and that there was a marker there (they had that ship fully-armed and ready to attack if needed), why didn't they intervene beforehand? They knew what would happen as they had already tried to hide the markers' existence so it seems odd they would allow them to excavate it.

 

3) Necromorphs and the markers.

The necromorphs cannot actually enter the "dead space" around the markers, and the Aegis marker was keeping the hive mind subdued/under control. Are they actually linked to each other or not? The first game suggests not but the third suggests yes as far as I can tell.

4) Severed

In the DLC, it is suggested that Lexine and Gabe were only kept alive so that she could become pregnant. Why, and how is that important to the project? The oracle program was something I had hoped to find more about in DS3 but it was absent entirely.

 

5) The white-coat men.

Again from severed, who were those guys with the awesome "psychic gloves" and were they working for EarthGov or above them (the text log in DS2 from "overseer" suggests EarthGov isn't the highest authority)? I am guessing they knew a lot more about the markers etc. but their non-appearance in DS3 seems a little strange, especially as they seemed to have technology advanced enough to control the situation surrounding unitologists/uprisings etc.

 

If any of these questions are dumb, I apologise... I have really enjoyed all 3 games and am just hoping to understand the fuller picture if it has already been laid out.

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2) The Ishimura

If EarthGov knew that The Ishimura was breaking laws by planet-cracking illegally, and that there was a marker there (they had that ship fully-armed and ready to attack if needed), why didn't they intervene beforehand? They knew what would happen as they had already tried to hide the markers' existence so it seems odd they would allow them to excavate it.

 

Towards the final chapters of DS1 it's said that the Red Marker on Aegis VII was reverse engineered by "The Government" (Going by memory here) and placed there for whatever reason (Experiment I'm guessing) but the whole thing got out of hand, etc.

Why did they do this? Probably under the influence of some other marker, which convinces people the marker's thoughts and influence are that of their own making.

 

5) The white-coat men.

Again from severed, who were those guys with the awesome "psychic gloves" and were they working for EarthGov or above them (the text log in DS2 from "overseer" suggests EarthGov isn't the highest authority)? I am guessing they knew a lot more about the markers etc. but their non-appearance in DS3 seems a little strange, especially as they seemed to have technology advanced enough to control the situation surrounding unitologists/uprisings etc.

 

P sure those guys were turned and you ruined their shit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1gQHPwaAntM#t=635s

 

I'm disappointed there was no follow up on the Lexine thing too. Even if though I barely know what her storyline is about.

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Many great points, but you may be reading too deeply into things. I never knew there was any into in isaac's parents. I've played and replayed that game more than any other, and never stumbles on that detail, but I don't exactly read every log either. Why that info would be in a text log in that ship though... Weird.

 

As for severed, I thought it was assumed they were government. The whole plot of earthgov vs unitology is that one wants to study and controll the merkers, while the other believes them divine, and don't want them tampered with. It's probably a safe assumption that unitology cares very little about gabe's kid, aside from wanting it dead just like Isaac. Ordering their death mirrors the prologue, as once the experiments either go wrong, or risk being exposed, earthgov(or scaf) try to wipe out all evidence involved.

 

I'm sure the side characters will be tied in at some point, but they need to do it logically. They had no business in DS3 besides perhaps also being on earth during the release.

Last I can comment on is the markers. The origional "make us whole" thing implied the hive mind wanted it returned. Wether it was designed to pacify them or not is just a matter of perspective. They made it seem like the necros only attacked because it was tampered with, supporting unitologist theory. The TP Salvage talks a little about how it got smashed in isaac's escape, but even shards can trigger it to some degree.

 

It's probably a safe bet they are linked as DS3 suggested, but the man made markers could have added effects depending on wether or not it was a perfect copy. Remember they said in DS1 it was an experiment they uncovered, it could have been modified as a means of testing their controll over the hive mind.

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Towards the final chapters of DS1 it's said that the Red Marker on Aegis VII was reverse engineered by "The Government" (Going by memory here) and placed there for whatever reason (Experiment I'm guessing) but the whole thing got out of hand, etc.

Why did they do this? Probably under the influence of some other marker, which convinces people the marker's thoughts and influence are that of their own making.

 

Makes sense I guess, thanks :-)

 

 

P sure those guys were turned and you ruined their shit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1gQHPwaAntM#t=635s

 

I'm disappointed there was no follow up on the Lexine thing too. Even if though I barely know what her storyline is about.

 

That is true about the guys, but there must surely have been others with the same technology and power?

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Many great points, but you may be reading too deeply into things. I never knew there was any into in isaac's parents. I've played and replayed that game more than any other, and never stumbles on that detail, but I don't exactly read every log either. Why that info would be in a text log in that ship though... Weird.

 

It is in the BACKSTORY logs that are unlocked when you finish the game - if you boot up NG+, you can find 5-6 of them. Isaac's information is part of his classified mission background check that Hammond carried out. Usually I don't care so much about these kinds of details, but Dead Space has quickly become my favourite series for my xbox360 even though I was kinda late to the party on it (only started the first one in January lol)

 

 

As for severed, I thought it was assumed they were government. The whole plot of earthgov vs unitology is that one wants to study and controll the merkers, while the other believes them divine, and don't want them tampered with. It's probably a safe assumption that unitology cares very little about gabe's kid, aside from wanting it dead just like Isaac. Ordering their death mirrors the prologue, as once the experiments either go wrong, or risk being exposed, earthgov(or scaf) try to wipe out all evidence involved.

 

That is possible I guess... I had assumed the GVT and Unitologists were secretly one and the same.

 

 

I'm sure the side characters will be tied in at some point, but they need to do it logically. They had no business in DS3 besides perhaps also being on earth during the release.

Last I can comment on is the markers. The origional "make us whole" thing implied the hive mind wanted it returned. Wether it was designed to pacify them or not is just a matter of perspective. They made it seem like the necros only attacked because it was tampered with, supporting unitologist theory. The TP Salvage talks a little about how it got smashed in isaac's escape, but even shards can trigger it to some degree.

 

It's probably a safe bet they are linked as DS3 suggested, but the man made markers could have added effects depending on wether or not it was a perfect copy. Remember they said in DS1 it was an experiment they uncovered, it could have been modified as a means of testing their controll over the hive mind.

 

Some very good points there... I hope they will all be finally answered at some stage, but worried they will simply be left as plot holes :(

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I wouldn't worry about plot.holes unroll they announce that both Isaac is dead for real, and that it was the last game. Some call it milking, I say they're giving the fans(me) more of what they love. Whatever the case, I think they know what they started and will keep it moving forward so long as its making them money. So long as it stays good, which it has, they can keep having mine lol.

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the whole make us whole again thing in dead space 1 was answered in 3. the markers are connected to the necromoon on tau volantis trying to get people to spread markers so that when the time came for the machine to be turned off they could be whole again and finish what they started and wake every other necromoon thats why the markers make people build them so they can wipe every species out why is yet to be established.

 

the marker on aegis vii was reverse engineered because it produced infinite energy because earth was mined out for resources but the sovereign colonies learned it recieved them from tau volantis but after the nercomorph threat was discovered they hid them and terminated everything to hid their secret.

 

one thing i always wondered was how earthgov an elite military army got beat by some religous fanataics i mean issacs an engineer and he can kill them.

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one thing i always wondered was how earthgov an elite military army got beat by some religous fanataics i mean issacs an engineer and he can kill them.

 

Subterfuge, sheer numbers, etc etc. 300 years is a ling enough time for them to spread, influencing people in high places, and having others use their position or influence for obvious benefits. It's possible that before DS1, they hadn't been as aggressive, atleast not on a level that raised red flags for non unitologists. Moreso in the comics, there was an obvious rift between believers and nonbelievers, but to think they would unify and topple the government wasn't something I saw coming before playing DS3, and its possible earthgov didn't either, or just underestimated them.

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IF YOU DON'T WANT ANY SPOILERS, STOP READING NOW.

 

 

OK, so after finishing DS3, a lot of questions I had about the story have been ignored or left half-answered... but there is also the chance that I have missed something so I am hoping someone can fill in the blanks (especially if you have read the books, played the Wii game, and/or watched the movies)

 

1) Isaac's parents.

Dead Space 1 made a HUGE point of stating that his mother was a high-ranking Unitologist (hence his hatred of them) and his father's whereabouts were "classified" but neither have ever been mentioned since AFAIK. Were they potential plot strands that have been dropped along the way?

 

 

2) The Ishimura

If EarthGov knew that The Ishimura was breaking laws by planet-cracking illegally, and that there was a marker there (they had that ship fully-armed and ready to attack if needed), why didn't they intervene beforehand? They knew what would happen as they had already tried to hide the markers' existence so it seems odd they would allow them to excavate it.

 

3) Necromorphs and the markers.

The necromorphs cannot actually enter the "dead space" around the markers, and the Aegis marker was keeping the hive mind subdued/under control. Are they actually linked to each other or not? The first game suggests not but the third suggests yes as far as I can tell.

 

4) Severed

In the DLC, it is suggested that Lexine and Gabe were only kept alive so that she could become pregnant. Why, and how is that important to the project? The oracle program was something I had hoped to find more about in DS3 but it was absent entirely.

 

5) The white-coat men.

Again from severed, who were those guys with the awesome "psychic gloves" and were they working for EarthGov or above them (the text log in DS2 from "overseer" suggests EarthGov isn't the highest authority)? I am guessing they knew a lot more about the markers etc. but their non-appearance in DS3 seems a little strange, especially as they seemed to have technology advanced enough to control the situation surrounding unitologists/uprisings etc.

 

If any of these questions are dumb, I apologise... I have really enjoyed all 3 games and am just hoping to understand the fuller picture if it has already been laid out.

 

1) It wasn't a plot strand. And they definitely didn't make any HUGE reference to it. It was just some simple backround on Isaac. Being a long time fan, I could care less about Isaac's parents. And his history is really only important where the main plot of the games is concerned.

 

2) The Ishimura, owned and operated by CEC, was conducting an ILLEGAL mining operation. EarthGov knew nothing about it until after the incident.

 

3) Necromorphs attack you the entire time you're moving the Red Marker off of the Ishimura. And on the planet. Not to mention that on Titan Station, they flocked to the marker during the convergence event. So the whole "they can't enter the dead space" doesn't really fit to the behavior they displayed in the games. The rediscovery/disturbance of the Red Marker by Miners on the Aegis VII Colony is what caused the events surrounding that game to occur.

 

4) Lexine was immune to the marker signal. They wanted her to get pregnant to experiment on the child. And no, this hasn't been brought up since that DLC ended. Unless it's in one of the books.

 

5) Those men were EarthGov agents sent to retrieve Lexine during the Titan Sprawl outbreak. Those men were all killed. Sure, there may have been more. But as we learn at the start of DS3, EarthGov has been overthrown by the church of Unitology. So anyone that may have still been around is either in hiding, or dead.

 

Towards the final chapters of DS1 it's said that the Red Marker on Aegis VII was reverse engineered by "The Government" (Going by memory here) and placed there for whatever reason (Experiment I'm guessing) but the whole thing got out of hand, etc.

 

It was reverse engineered to be studied. The experiments got out of hand. An outbreak occurred. The marker was buried, and the planet was declared off limits and illegal for any future mining enterprises in an effort to conceal the experiments, and the marker's entire existence.

Edited by ThePumpkinKing
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Thanks for the clarification on that PumpkinKing.

 

The Lexine thing wasn't in the Martyr book (Michael Altman was captured and made the face of Unitology against his will after an necromorph outbreak occurred at the New Mexico site mention at the beginning of the game)

Didn't read the second book Catalyst because the first book was so bad and they're written by the same person.

Nothing of Lexine in either of the two animes, Downfall (Decent) or Aftermath (Abysmal).

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1) It wasn't a plot strand. And they definitely didn't make any HUGE reference to it. It was just some simple backround on Isaac. Being a long time fan, I could care less about Isaac's parents. And his history is really only important where the main plot of the games is concerned.

 

2) The Ishimura, owned and operated by CEC, was conducting an ILLEGAL mining operation. EarthGov knew nothing about it until after the incident.

 

3) Necromorphs attack you the entire time you're moving the Red Marker off of the Ishimura. And on the planet. Not to mention that on Titan Station, they flocked to the marker during the convergence event. So the whole "they can't enter the dead space" doesn't really fit to the behavior they displayed in the games. The rediscovery/disturbance of the Red Marker by Miners on the Aegis VII Colony is what caused the events surrounding that game to occur.

 

4) Lexine was immune to the marker signal. They wanted her to get pregnant to experiment on the child. And no, this hasn't been brought up since that DLC ended. Unless it's in one of the books.

 

5) Those men were EarthGov agents sent to retrieve Lexine during the Titan Sprawl outbreak. Those men were all killed. Sure, there may have been more. But as we learn at the start of DS3, EarthGov has been overthrown by the church of Unitology. So anyone that may have still been around is either in hiding, or dead.

 

 

 

It was reverse engineered to be studied. The experiments got out of hand. An outbreak occurred. The marker was buried, and the planet was declared off limits and illegal for any future mining enterprises in an effort to conceal the experiments, and the marker's entire existence.

 

Basically all this here.

 

Most, not all and not entirely, of these can be answered with the book Martyr. That opens up a lot about the actual effects of the Marker(s), mainly the Black Marker.

 

There really isn't a major plot tie for the parents that I have found and I've looked. Which is good b/c that just widens the conspiracy which is what I hated about where Gears of War went. It's just a way to develop who Isaac is and his personality.

 

Far as we know, Lexine is still alive somewhere. Gabe is presumably dead but Papoutsis and company have gone to lengths to say he may not be dead. However, for obvious reasons of his final moments in Severed...it's easy to say he's dead.

 

However, I will correct you on #3 that the Red Marker was made with an entirely different element, Bismuth, which is speculative as to having different effects. Then there's this:

 

"The Red Marker and the Site 12 Marker had seemingly different effects during both games. The first one seemed only to want to cull Necromorph outbreaks and keep them from happening, while the second appeared actively to cause Necromorphs to form and worsen Isaac's dementia. This is the result of two conflicting forces surrounding the Markers; in Dead Space: Martyr, these conflicting effects can be seen simultaneously among the scientists researching the Black Marker. While some see dead relatives telling them to stop their research, warning them of "Convergence," others hear whispers "from the Marker" telling them that it offers eternal life through Convergence."

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However, I will correct you on #3 that the Red Marker was made with an entirely different element, Bismuth, which is speculative as to having different effects. Then there's this:

 

"The Red Marker and the Site 12 Marker had seemingly different effects during both games. The first one seemed only to want to cull Necromorph outbreaks and keep them from happening, while the second appeared actively to cause Necromorphs to form and worsen Isaac's dementia. This is the result of two conflicting forces surrounding the Markers; in Dead Space: Martyr, these conflicting effects can be seen simultaneously among the scientists researching the Black Marker. While some see dead relatives telling them to stop their research, warning them of "Convergence," others hear whispers "from the Marker" telling them that it offers eternal life through Convergence."

 

I've never actually heard about this before, but it makes perfect sense. Since, watching the animated comic that's basically a "prequel" to DS1, we see apparitions warning several characters of what's about to happen. As well as Nicole helping Isaac to stop it. While in DS2, Nicole essentially manipulates Isaac into causing the convergence event.

 

Learn something crazy every day.

 

On a side note. I will say that I dearly miss that aspect of the gameplay. It always separated Dead Space from your average, everyday shooter plot. It's still there with Carver. But only just. I think it would have much more fitting for Carver to experience hallucinations the same way Isaac used to, throughout the course of the entire game. And am I the only one that was disappointed that Norton going bat-shit crazy didn't turn out to be an effect of the markers? I honestly expected more from that than the typical jealous boyfriend bit. For a little while there, I honestly expected him to end up being the true villain of the game. Missed opportunity.

Edited by ThePumpkinKing
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I've never actually heard about this before, but it makes perfect sense. Since, watching the animated comic that's basically a "prequel" to DS1, we see apparitions warning several characters of what's about to happen. As well as Nicole helping Isaac to stop it. While in DS2, Nicole essentially manipulates Isaac into causing the convergence event.

 

Learn something crazy every day.

 

On a side note. I will say that I dearly miss that aspect of the gameplay. It always separated Dead Space from your average, everyday shooter plot. It's still there with Carver. But only just. I think it would have much more fitting for Carver to experience hallucinations the same way Isaac used to, throughout the course of the entire game. And am I the only one that was disappointed that Norton going bat-shit crazy didn't turn out to be an effect of the markers? I honestly expected more from that than the typical jealous boyfriend bit. For a little while there, I honestly expected him to end up being the true villain of the game. Missed opportunity.

 

If you've never read Martyr, go do it NOW. It was simply one of the best gaming adaptations I've read while spinning its own tale uncovering the mystery of Michael Altman. It was such a vivid book and answers a decent amount of questions.

 

Also, in the animated prequel Downfall, there's a blonde girl huddled in a corner that Alissa asks "you got a boyfriend? You wanna see him again?" That's supposed to be Nicole ;)

 

I thought the Carver aspect was handled well. They did a good job of giving you enough and leaving some mystery without having to go crazy wanting to find out. I got enough info. I wouldn't want them to milk it and basically redo much of what Isaac went through just with Carver now.

Just read someones comment and not sure but if you play AS Carver, the co-op missions echo the hallucinations similar to DS2. The final co-op mission is a nice little "trippy" treat. Put it this way, if you're Carver, whoever's playing Isaac isn't going to understand what you're "seeing" if they haven't played it themselves. If you're Isaac, you'll notice your partner exclaim/ask many times "are you seeing this?" or "What the fuck is going on/that?"

 

On Norton, I was expecting him to snap but definitely not be the antagonist. I didn't see the betrayal coming but once it did, I knew he was just as expendable. It's funny though b/c from chapter 9, my co-op buddy kept insisting his hatred for Robert (mainly b/c his name is Rob too HA!) but by chapter 10 in the opening cutscene where Isaac and Ellie have their little reunion moment, he's all jealous dickhead "Oh..good to see you're alive Isaac..." and then basically snubs you as he walks by, all my buddy kept saying (til it happened) "this guy needs to be shot in the face. Just like 9 times."

It was hard to not spill the beans. His joyful reaction was only as hilarious.

Edited by Flibbity Floid
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@Pumpkin King

actually if you play the Co-op aspect of the game as Carver during Co-op missions Carver does have hallucinations. It's oddly interesting as it's reconfirmed by Isaac who at one point was asked if he'd seen somebody, and that he saw no one.

 

I have played as Carver. At least for the co-op missions. And I love them. I just wish they'd taken it a little further and extended it into aspects of the game that weren't exclusively co-op. the fact that Carver's dementia isn't present in the single player only campaign is just disappointing.

 

If you've never read Martyr, go do it NOW. It was simply one of the best gaming adaptations I've read while spinning its own tale uncovering the mystery of Michael Altman. It was such a vivid book and answers a decent amount of questions.

 

Also, in the animated prequel Downfall, there's a blonde girl huddled in a corner that Alissa asks "you got a boyfriend? You wanna see him again?" That's supposed to be Nicole ;)

 

I thought the Carver aspect was handled well. They did a good job of giving you enough and leaving some mystery without having to go crazy wanting to find out. I got enough info. I wouldn't want them to milk it and basically redo much of what Isaac went through just with Carver now.

Just read someones comment and not sure but if you play AS Carver, the co-op missions echo the hallucinations similar to DS2. The final co-op mission is a nice little "trippy" treat. Put it this way, if you're Carver, whoever's playing Isaac isn't going to understand what you're "seeing" if they haven't played it themselves. If you're Isaac, you'll notice your partner exclaim/ask many times "are you seeing this?" or "What the fuck is going on/that?"

 

On Norton, I was expecting him to snap but definitely not be the antagonist. I didn't see the betrayal coming but once it did, I knew he was just as expendable. It's funny though b/c from chapter 9, my co-op buddy kept insisting his hatred for Robert (mainly b/c his name is Rob too HA!) but by chapter 10 in the opening cutscene where Isaac and Ellie have their little reunion moment, he's all jealous dickhead "Oh..good to see you're alive Isaac..." and then basically snubs you as he walks by, all my buddy kept saying (til it happened) "this guy needs to be shot in the face. Just like 9 times."

It was hard to not spill the beans. His joyful reaction was only as hilarious.

 

Definitely gonna check into Martyr. I've always wanted more information on Altman. Especially now finding out that he was essentially made the face of Unitology against his will.

 

As for Carver... read what I posted above. Same goes for Norton. Don't get me wrong. I love this game. But I just really think they could have done more to keep with the tone of the previous games. Because, as-is, they really have almost entirely cut out the marker's, and their effects, from the game. One of the biggest plot elements in both previous titles was the markers and the various horrifying effects they had on humanity. And now, it seems like the markers have been reduced to little more than set pieces that are everywhere. And at the end, you use as weapons... And really, that sucks. Because in previous games, just ONE marker was enough to wreak havok, create Necromorphs, and affect the sanity of thousands of people. But now, here, we have a planet with THOUSANDS of markers, not to mention a mon generating the signal, and the only person slightly affected by them is Carver? Pssssshh. Lame.

 

I really feel that by adding some marker induced dementia to the mix, among characters like Norton, Buckell, Santos, or maybe even Ellie, this game could've been a LOT more interesting. I personally would've welcomed the added threat of dealing with a major character losing their mind in addition to just "taking down the terror", as it were. Would've added a stronger sense of urgency to ending it. Especially if, like I said, one of those characters began to directly threaten the mission itself. And seriously, if they had done that with even just Danik and the Unitologists, it would've been awesome. As is, they're a threat. Add to that marker induced insanity, and they become an even bigger threat.

 

But alas, none of that happened. So I suppose it's pointless to really even bother, at this point.

 

I just really hope they've gone the extra mile at Visceral to make Awakened as horrifying as they claim. Because with where the series has already taken us, they've been making some pretty outrageous claims with it.

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